a blog from Modern Quilt Studio

we’re in 100 Blocks and there’s a giveaway!

When we were invited to submit a block for 100 Blocks, we had to stop and think about how to design in a different way. We don’t ever design as a single block. Instead, we’re always designing from the perspective of how the blocks relate to one another. Designing a single block, without being able to show an overall design, would be a very different way of thinking.

So we decided that we would design a block that would be as flexible as possible, working equally well with Civil War reproduction or modern prints or solids. Over the years we’ve found endless possibilities to piecing strips with solids, although this block would be equally fun with batiks or prints.

There are so many options for how to set this block. You could surround it with sashing that contrasts with the ¼” strip in the block to create a grid:

Or you could rotate the blocks for an entirely different look:

The best thing about 100 Blocks is that there’s something for everyone. There’s appliqué and piecing, traditional and modern. You might even decide to combine some of the blocks in the magazine with a few of your own. If you’re interested in purchasing the issue, call us at (708) 445-1817 and we’ll ship one out to you. To see more blocks from the magazine and to have a chance at lots of giveaways, hop on over to 100 Blocks. If you’d like to have a shot at winning a free issue of the magazine, leave a comment below and we’ll randomly choose one.

I took 4 classes at the Houston festival last week (2 long arm, a Stack & Whack, and Contoured Quilted Photography, which I loved!) But as I sat in each classroom, I whispered to myself, “Hopefully next year I can finally learn from Weeks & Bill in person!”.

Lessons from childhood are hard to undo — coloring outside the lines, not following directions exactly. This post made me realize the hampering of my creativity as a child shows up in my quiltmaking today. It’s not that I’m trying to follow the pattern exactly, it just doesn’t occur to me to add my own spin to it.

This is very cool! I wasn’t expecting a block like this–as you mentioned, this magazine forces you to think differently when designing just ONE block–so this was a surprise! It is really flexible and anyone can use it anywhere! Great!!! I love how you showed the examples, too….soooo looking forward to the magazine coming out and making some blocks!! Gotta start planning NOW!!
michelle

I love how a very simple block can look so different when turned one way and then another or made up in different fabrics and you have a whole new look! Thanks for a chance to win a copy of the magazine!

I’m looking forward to this magazine after seeing more about it. I was not even thinking of moving toward learning to quilt when the first issue came out so I’m looking foward to this one as I have been reading all I can so I can learn as much as I can. Having this magazine would be awesome because there are so many different types of blocks as you said. I will be able to try different ones without buying multiple books for each type. I would love to win one and if, by some stange coincidence I won two, I already plan to pass one on to my son’s girlfriend who loves crafting. I KOW it won;t be long before she is asked to be part of our family and I’ve already told her I want to teach her to use my fancy embroidery machine so I have someone to pass it on to along with my fabrics and other things packing my sewing room. She and I can learn to quilt together.

Those colors are YUMMY!!! Are they your own hand dyed fabrics?? Where can I purchase? I not only want a copy of 100 Blocks, but I also MUST have your new book. Weeks, I liked your choice for the cover photo with that beautiful piece of antique furniture under your gorgeous quilt!

@Kathye–the fabrics are not hand-dyed. They are commercial cottons and were scraps from the Beach Glass quilt that is on the cover of our new book Quilts Made Modern. We are sell a kit for Beach Glass so call us (708) 445-1817 if you are interested (we’re in the process of getting them up on the website).

Hi – I picked up the book sometime before Christmas. I ended up using the idea of the block to make this quilt top. (Sliced into 5″ wide chunks of stripes and then stacked with 5″ wide muslin) http://2monkeys.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-quilt-top.html It was fun, easy-ish (once I figured out what I wanted to do), and I like how it turned out. :)